David Gold, a self-confessed Jambo and close friend of Hearts winger Sam Nicholson, handed Arbroath a deserved lead in the 40th minute as the hosts paid the price for a largely passive first period.

No doubt enlivened by a few choice words from Neilson at the interval, Hearts eventually showed the quality that saw them finish 21 points clear of nearest rivals Hibs in last season’s Championship, scoring three goals during a dominant four-minute period after the break.

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Jordan McGhee brought them level in the 57th minute before Osman Sow notched a brace - his second from the penalty spot.

Further goals were traded at the end. Arbroath substitute Martin Grehan pulled one back for the visitors with five minutes left before Hearts’ two-goal advantage was resumed in injury-time courtesy of a Craig Wilson own goal.

Neilson was content with the result but admitted the performance barely merited pass marks.

‘We were disappointed, the first half was not acceptable,’ said Neilson, who expects Nigerian left-back Juwon Oshaniwa to arrive in Edinburgh today to complete a move which has been delayed by red tape.

‘I think the players thought they were going to cruise to a result but it was a bit of a wake-up call for all of us.

‘We need to do far better than we did. I thought we passed the ball for the first 10 minutes then went flat.

‘I think they viewed it as a pre-season game but when St Johnstone come it will be a completely different ball game.’

The Red Lichties more than held their own during a languid opening to this first-round tie and Todd Lumsden’s side stunned the home crowd shortly before the interval.

Sergio Cecilia Alvarez’s flick on the edge of the box found Gold and the former Hibs midfielder poked the ball past stand-in keeper Jack Hamilton from 10 yards.

Hearts huffed and puffed their way to a League Cup victory over part-timers Arbroath

With their egos bruised, Hearts responded in kind. Callum Paterson crashed a header off the bar from a King corner in the 44th minute, with Ricky Little throwing himself in the way of Alim Ozturk’s effort on the follow-up.

Arbroath goalkeeper Allan Fleming then got down brilliantly to Sow’s low left-footed shot inside the area seconds before the break.

The second half began with over 6,000 Hearts fans in attendance thinking that things could only get better.

Instead, they watched Arbroath waste a great chance to double their lead. Ozturk and McGhee got in each other’s way in their attempt to cut out Bobby Linn’s free-kick into the box, leaving Lewis Coult with an unrestricted view of goal.

But the dyed-in-the-wool Hearts supporter pulled a left-footed shot wide from 16 yards.

The League Two minnows were left to rue that chance as Hearts took control with three goals in four minutes.

The first arrived in the 57th minute when McGhee slid in to divert Ozturk’s front-post pass into the net.

Sow then added a second in the 59th minute with a close range finish but the groundwork was done by Nicholson, the fleet-footed winger showing great close ball control to set up his team-mate.

After Nicholson was hauled down in the box by Wilson, Swedish forward Sow dispatched a penalty past Fleming.

To Arbroath’s credit, they didn’t completely collapse in the face of a Hearts onslaught.

Linn thundered a free-kick off the post and goal-scorer Gold was left disappointed that he could only hook the rebound over the bar with Hamilton grounded.

They did pull one back in the 85th minute when Grehan headed in Jordan London’s teasing delivery at the back post.

Hearts, however, restored their two-goal advantage in injury-time when Arbroath defender Wilson poked the ball past his own keeper in his desperate attempt to prevent Nicholson’s pass reaching Jamie Walker.